Days Go By
by lovely13
Summary: What happens if they break the sire bond? Can Damon and Elena finally overcome one last obstacle?
1. Leave

_**Saturday**_

She knew she would find him here. You think someone who was as much of a loner as Damon would find comfort in the solitude of him room? Nope, he finds just it sitting next to his mini bar full of bourbon and staring into the fire as if it has every answer he was looking for.

"Damon?"

She hears his sharp unneeded intake of breath, and knows that this is going to be anything but easy. Then again she has always known that with him. It rarely was ever easy for the two of them, and that was okay. They knew how to fight for each other better than any other thing they could ever and would ever do.

"I thought I told you not to come back."

He did. Except...

"I don't listen very well."

"Shouldn't be surprised. You never even attempt to listen to me."

"Damon-"

"Just leave. Please."

Elena does the opposite. She makes her way from the doorway to take a seat on the chair next to the couch. He sounds so tired, she blames herself.

"I can't. You know I can't."

"I don't know anything apparently Elena."

She flinches, there it was. She had been expecting it to be the first words he said. She had yet again refused his love. He had said the most beautiful three words to her and finally asked her to say them back and she couldn't. Not because she didn't feel it, or believe it was true. It was because once they were said there would be no going back. Things would never be the same, and that is what scared her. Her friends weren't exactly team Damon, and Stefan still insisted that what she felt for Damon was lust, nothing more.

"I didn't mean it."

"You never do afterwards. Maybe you were right."

"I wasn't. I was wrong._ So_ wrong. Please listen."

"So I can hear how much you can't leave Stefan for longer than it takes you to get off in my bed?"

It's true, sadly enough. Elena had been spending more time with Stefan than she should be, but not for the reasons Damon was thinking.

"Don't be crude Damon."

She recognizes the glint in his eyes and it worries her. She knows how much he likes to push her. He gets up and makes his way over to her. Leaning down so close that their noses are just about to touch and she can feels his breath on her lips, and suddenly she forgets everything else. All she wants is his lips on hers.

He wants to prove a point, and proving points was one of Damon Salvatore's many talents. He's trying to make her uncomfortable and it's sort of working, but for the most part it's just showing him how much she really wants him. Which only makes it harder. (Pun absolutely intended.) Her breathing is heavier and she can't pull her eyes away from him much less move her body.

"You love it. You know you do. You don't want to admit it because it will make it seem like you failed everyone. You love the roughness, the aspect of being out of control. Well newsflash Elena, the only person you are failing is yourself. You _love_ how you are with me. I have never seen you so free. Christ Elena we found a way around the sire bond. We broke it and yet here we are. Stefan wanted to fix you. Guess he fixed you alright. He fixed you into someone I don't even recognize and I know you better than all of them. You know why? Because we are alike Elena, even without the sire bond you are darker and more alive and stronger than ever."

"Damon-"

"Stop. I don't want to hear you say my name one more time. I just want you to go."

He steps away from her and to her it feels like all of the oxygen was sucked out of the room. The worst part of that is she doesn't even need it, but she _needs_ him.

"Like you said I'm not sired anymore. No matter how much you want me to leave you_ can't_ make me."

"I could if I really wanted to."

He pours another glass and takes his previous seat.

"Don't make threats you can't follow through with Da- just don't, okay?"

"Who says it's a threat? This town is beat. And you? You will never give up on him, will you?"

"It's not that easy. I never gave up on you."

All she wants is for him to see that she is trying. She just has no clue how to make it work. Because facing facts Damon was not a relationship person. He didn't like to compromise, or think about the risks. Sometimes that was okay, but not always. Did he even know how to make something last for as long as they had on this earth?

She wants to kick herself because she knows he would do anything for her. She knew just how much he loved her, but it still didn't stop the doubts and that is what she had to fix before she gave him every part of her.

"Maybe not, but you gave up on us."

"That is a lie! I wanted to break the bond. I wanted to prove to you that everything I felt for you was real. I told him all about us. I never stopped feeling what I felt for you."

"That's a pattern with you isn't it? Well guess what? You sure as hell can't have us both."

"I broke up with Stefan to be with you. I'm not going back and forth. I made the wrong choice once, the second time I chose right."

"Then why can't we be together?"

She is stunned into silence. It was an extremely rare occasion for Damon to be so vulnerable. Those baby blues of his were staring straight at her and she could see everything he felt right then and there. Alone, scared, hurt, and love. Above all she saw his love for her, she always had. That is what gave her the most faith in them. His irrevocable love for her.

"I just want to give it time. I want to let Stefan get use to the idea of him and I no longer being together. I just want him to be in control. I want to let things calm down for awhile. I want to be me and make sure I have my shit together."

"You are you Elena. Right now, with me. How can't you see it? Stefan is just off another ripper bender. Do you think that he can just be in control? It takes years and he refuses to do it the right way."

"We can help him."

"So what we sneak around like we have leprosy so no one sees us? I don't think so. I have tried to help my brother but I can't do anything if he doesn't want the right kind of help. I'm tired Elena. I have fought to the point of death for you countless times. I have stepped aside and let my feelings go to bring you Stefan back. I fought to break the sire bond as much as you. I'm done."

She believes him. She knew that one day if she didn't give him something in return this would happen, but she's here and he's turning her away. She chokes back tears.

"You searched for a way to get Katherine out of the tomb for a hundred years, you claim to love me like you've never loved her, but your already giving up on me? Knowing that I do want you?"

"Don't. You. Dare. I have _never ever_ compared you to Katherine. I may have loved her but I was never in love with her. I wanted to die to be with her. I would have died so you got to live, that is love."

"Then prove it."

"I think I have. Way too many times."

"No, you were always making amends. Show me Damon. Don't be done. Help Stefan. He's your brother, you owe it to me. Help me. You wanted to be the one to teach me, right? So teach me."

Elena barely knows what she is saying. Whatever comes to her mind for the most part. How can she fix this? How would she be able to do this without him? She makes her way over to him this time and crouches down in front of him, and before you know it he's leaning forward and his lips are next to her ear.

"I said stop saying my name. You know why I don't want to hear it come out of that mouth of yours?"

"Why?"

She swallows hard...

"Because it reminds me how good it sounds. Especially when it's my name your moaning."

...and shivers.

"Are you trying to torture me?"

He pulls back and stands but not before grasping her hand and pulling her up with him. She can smell his cologne and bourbon and it's so him that she can't get anything of importance out of her mouth. He's flush against her and she is touching him and he feels so good.

"Maybe, don't you do it to me enough? Shh, don't answer."

He places his finger on her lips and she's glad because she didn't have anything to say. She just wants him to keep touching her.

"That is here nor there. Your grasping at straws Elena. I think you know how fed up I am, I think you know your wrong, and I absolutely know you are scared to death I'm going to leave you. I can see it in your eyes. If you were human your heart would be pounding relentlessly. You wouldn't be able to have such control over your emotions, you'd be crying be now. Right now you want to rip my shirt to shreds like you did a few months back in this very room, and you want me to be rough with you. I said it once I'll say it again. I want to throw you back in my bed and never let you leave. Except I'm not going to. I'm going to leave."

The last four words send off alarms in her head and she comes back to reality.

"Please. I can't lose you."

"You lost Stefan for a whole summer and you were just fine."

"It's because of you. Ever since I met you everything I've been able to get through is because of you, and I can't lose you. I don't just need you, I want you. More than anything."

She has to take a step back. She has to fight for him. It's her turn now.

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Not good enough. You won't leave I will."

"I will vervain you if I have to."

She sees how proud he is of the words that leave her. It's something he would say, something he would do. God, would she do it too. Anything to keep him.

"You do listen."

"Sometimes."

"I'll tell you what Elena. Because I do truly love you I'll give you three days."

"Three days for what?"

"To tell Stefan and everyone. To come to terms with this on your own. To be able to say what you feel. What you want. If you don't I will disappear. You will never be able to find me, and never for a vampire is a long time. So say we meet back here Tuesday at midnight?"

"Okay." He's giving her one last reprieve and she knows she doesn't really deserve it, but for some reason he thinks she does.

She was wrong. It wouldn't take anything. It would take everything.

* * *

So what do you think? Should I continue? I have no idea where this came from. I haven't written in forever. I'm excited to see if anyone likes it so leave me a review. I'm going to start the second chapter later tonight. Thanks! A


	2. Truths

This chapter was edited earlier today. I went to work on the third part and noticed I didn't upload the revised chapter. I can't believe I did that. It has never happened before, but here it is.

* * *

_"Damon, Bonnie said we can do this."_

_"How do we know if it will stick?"_

_"We don't, but it's a chance. A real one for us. The only other chance besides never seeing you again. I won't do that. You can send me away, you can leave but know this Damon. I will still be here missing you. I know my feelings are real, the sire bond doesn't affect feelings. I know you don't trust that. I do though and I can't lose you. The worst part is you don't even understand how much I mean it because I've never told you. So give me this chance to prove it to you Damon."_

_She sees it in his eyes before she even finishes speaking that he's going to give her this. Because he loves her just as she loves him. Maybe more. Being in love with him is new to her. He has been in love with her for so long.  
_

_And it can't all be for nothing. She refuses to believe it.  
_

_____"What do we do?"_

_"She said that you have to invoke the sire bond and I have to fight it. Basically I have to try to do what Bill Forbes did with compulsion. So we know it can work Damon, we've seen it. You just have to have a strong will, and I do. There is nothing stronger right now than my will to prove how much I want to be with you."_

_"Then lets do this."_

**_Three weeks later_**

_"It's not working Elena. I can see you fight it but you give in every time. This damn sire shit is bigger than us."  
_

_He downs his tenth glass of bourbon and she just watches him stare off into nothing. She doesn't know what to say. He's right, it's not working and it's killing her. She knew there was a chance it wouldn't and he would be gone from her life. He's not selfish enough to take every choice from her so he would leave. She doubts she would be able to find him. He wouldn't want to be found anyway,  
_

_"Can I help? I think I have a way." _

_Jeremy says leaning against the door. Elena was so focused she hadn't even heard him come in, and that says something.  
_

_"What way can you possibly help brother hunter?"_

_"Tell Elena to leave. That you want her gone, and not to come back. Tell her it would make you happy, and you don't need her help."_

_"No! Jeremy, we've tried that."_

_Was he crazy? Damon was on the brink of doing that on his own. A repeat process is not what we need. I need to give Damon hope, not diminish it.  
_

_"Elena. I have an idea. I need you to trust me. I'm not trying to ruin this for you. I want to help."  
_

_She can tell by the look on his face that he means this. He really does want to help her. So she gives in.  
_

_"Okay."  
_

_"Do it Damon."_

_"I want you to leave Elena, and never to come back. I don't want to see you again, and I don't need your help. It would make me happy."_

_She feels her heart break at the words as tries to fight it and it works for a few seconds before her resolve cracks and she goes to back away. Leaving just feels right all of a sudden.  
_

_That's when Jeremy strikes. He pounces on Damon and has him down with a stake to the heart._

_"Are you going to let him die Elena?"  
_

_"Damon fight him. I...I..."_

_She starts to cry even though she doesn't want to. She doesn't know what else to do and all she feels in the need to leave._

_"I can't move him Elena."_

_Damon barely manages to say._

_"I will kill him Elena. You would be so much better off."_

_"Fight him Damon. I can't..."_

_"Elena. Leave. Now!"_

_She hears the plea fall from Damon's lips and everything in her body tells her to go, but she knows that when Jeremy goes into hunter mode that it takes over. What would happen if she left and he killed Damon? Even if he hadn't meant to Damon would still be dead, and it would be her fault that she couldn't save him. _

_That's when everything clicks. If she leaves Damon could die, and what would be left but a gaping hole in her heart?  
_

_'A life without Damon.' A voice in her head screams at her. So loud that she can't ignore it. It's so much louder than the one that tells her to leave.  
_

_"Get off of him!"_

_She throws Jeremy into the wall and bends down to Damon._

_"Jesus Elena. You did it."_

_"Did wh-? The bond. I...I broke it...to save you Damon. I did it for you."_

_The elation shines through in both of their eyes.  
_

_His dead heart feels so alive in this moment. She broke a seemingly unbreakable bond to save his life. That had to mean something, didn't it?  
_

_They both feel the hope creep back in slowly.  
_

_"It's over Damon. The sire bond is broken. We are free!"  
_

_"Don't get carried away. We have to keep doing this until you don't hesitate."_

_"I will save you every time."_

_She tells him with out a hint of doubt and brushes her lips against his quickly before getting up and throwing her arms around her brother._

* * *

_**Sunday**_

"Hey Elena. Everything okay?" Bonnie sits down across from her and she's so glad. She could have lost her friend for many reasons over the past couple years but she hadn't. This witch was powerful.

"Yes, well no."

"What's wrong?"

"Bonnie you were the first person to believe what I felt for Damon was real. You gave us what we needed to help break the bond. I don't understand why, but I need to."

"Jeremy was a crucial part of that to, do you know why he did it?"

"Because I'm his sister and he loves me?"

"Yeah. He loves you and so do I."

"So does Caroline and I bet she is plotting ways to kill Damon as we speak."

"Look Elena. Damon did a lot of bad things before he changed. He was the worst guy. You even thought so too, but for some reason you gave him a chance anyway. Which I never understood. Look how well that turned out. That guy told you to leave the lake house because if he isn't around the sire bond can't work, he loved you enough to let you go. Maybe that's when I got it. I mean I started to see him change way before that but it never hit me until that night how utterly and completely in love with you he was. I knew you felt the same, so I helped."

"Bonnie I will never know how to thank you."

She reaches across the table and takes Bonnie's hand. They were friends, and she loved them. Her, Caroline and Bonnie. They always would be. No matter what tried to come between them.

"You already have."

"Remember when I told you and Caroline that I thought I was falling in love with him?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I don't think anymore. I am in love with him."

"No offense but duh."

"The problem is I can't seem to tell him, and now he wants to leave because he's tired of all the back and forth. Mostly he's just tired of me never being able to let Stefan go."

"You have to make a real choice Elena. Not like the one the night of the bridge. Can I say something without you getting mad?"

"Of course."

"You should have never made a choice under those circumstance. You should have told Damon you couldn't do it, but he meant so much to you. You should have said you would figure it out. Not that you would let him go. Elena you could never let him go, you could never not save him, you could never stay mad at him, and you sure as hell could never not forgive him. He's right. You have to cut one of them out of your life to prove it to the other. They both need to see where you are and making that choice is how you have to do it, and maybe one day you and Stefan can be friends again."

"How did you-?"

"I'm your best friend Elena. It has _never_ really been Stefan."

"I just never saw it before. The summer Stefan left Damon was everything to me. I got by without Stefan, but when Damon was dying from the werewolf bite all I could think is how am I ever going to survive with out him?"

"Maybe you should tell him that."

"I probably should, but I have two days left. Two days to prove what I want before Damon packs up and gets the hell out of here. I have other things to do until then."

"Good luck Elena."

"Thanks."

She hugs her friend before gathering her coat and bag. She was on a mission now. They had to break the sire bond, she had to prove to Damon he loved her. Just has he had proved his love for her over and over. Maybe it was selfish but she just couldn't let him go. No matter how hard she tried, her heart would never let that happen.

* * *

"Hey Ric. Brought you some flowers. I don't even know where to start. So I'll just dive right in, isn't that what Damon always did? I'm a vampire. You know that already though don't you? Damon is taking care of me. He hasn't let me down at all. Not one slip up. Do you believe it? I do, that guy is as loyal as they come. Here's another pill for you to swallow. I don't care if he does slip up- I mean I do but I still would feel the same about him. It wouldn't change anything. I love him Ric. He's better because of me, and I'm better because of him. That's all there is to it. I wanted you to know because you were his best friend, and he misses you. More than you know. I miss you too. Look if you can hear me just watch out for him. He needs someone to always be in his corner. Everyone needs a best friend Ric. We love you."

* * *

I want to thank everyone who reviewed and followed this story. It makes me so happy to see that you like it. Someone asked if I would put in how they broke the sire bond. I hope I did okay with it. I don't want to get too technical and make it totally unbelievable. As for Damon and Elena getting together it happened the same way as on the show. I'll pick up from where it left off before winter break to explain some. Enjoy! A


	3. Repair

Just wanted to let you know chapter 2 was edited earlier today. I went to work on the third part and noticed I didn't upload the revised chapter. I can't believe I did that. It has never happened before, but I fixed it. Hope you enjoy it as well as this one!

* * *

_**Sunday Evening  
**_

She impatiently paces the floor of her kitchen. She watches the timer on the microwave tick down and listens as the popcorn pops. She just can't seem to calm down, she should not be this nervous. This was her and Caroline. They had been friends since they were kids, told each other everything, always stuck together. The two of them and Bonnie had always had each others back, so even when they thought they were alone they never really were.

Except now. Her and Caroline were on opposite sides. She was team Damon and Caroline was team Stefan.

The timer goes off and simultaneously she hears a knock at the front door before it opens and her best friend calls out for her.

"In here Care."

She takes a deep breath. She knows she can do this.

"Hey Elena."

"I made popcorn."

"And I brought a movie. You can never go wrong with a Jason Statham movie." She tells her as she pulls _Safe_ out of her handbag. They head into the living room and Elena takes a seat with the bowl of popcorn. She doesn't know how to start this. She has no clue what to say, and being her best friend Caroline picks up on her insecurity immediately.

"Why don't we get this out of the way Elena? We both know I'm not here just to watch a movie, and we haven't really had girl time in weeks. So spill."

"I don't know why this is so hard Care. I love you like I would love my sister if I had one, but I don't know what to say to you anymore. You think Stefan and I have this epic love but all I see is a lack of trust and half truths. We loved each other but it wasn't enough. What I feel for him isn't enough. I thought it was, that it could be. That maybe we would work it out, but every time I tried it didn't work I ended up turning to Damon. I can see how bad that looks but if you think about why I did it makes perfect sense. Damon always knew how to help me, save me, just be there for me whenever I needed him to be. He was there with out judgements. We have _always_ had an understanding with each other. As much as we have our differences we understand each other like no one else does. I didn't notice until after my transition when Stefan pointed out that it was Damon I always went to no matter if he was around or not that I realized I always have. I just turned a blind eye before. _Human_ or _vampire_ Caroline I always ended up turning to Damon."

"And what you feel for Damon is enough?"

"Yes, loving Damon is enough. He makes me think differently about things, he pushes me, and helps me in ways you don't even think are ways to help but end up being the best ones. He stands by me no matter what. No matter what choice I make. He once promised me he would never leave me again. Do you know how long ago that was? After Stefan ripped my neck apart in the gym. Do you know how many times I have hurt him since then? I even sunk as low as to tell him his love was a problem. You know why I said that?"

Caroline shakes her head. She really had no clue. The only redeeming quality Damon seemed to have to her was his love for Elena that kept her alive. They needed that, because no matter how much she hated it Damon was the one that made the rough calls. He had to be the one that got their hate. He was the bad guy, right? Suddenly she wonders why she's never questioned things about him before.

"Because loving me was stopping me from making a choice I thought was right. You know what it caused? Bonnie's mom being turned. If I had only listened to Damon...even after those harsh words, even after I choose Stefan he stayed because I needed him and he knew it. Somehow he just knows what I need even if I don't. You have this mindset right now that I can't even wrap my mind around, and I love you. I don't want to hurt you or fight with you, but your hurting me. I need him, and I want you to accept that."

"I'm not trying to hurt you Elena. I'm trying to help."

"But your not. You are making this harder. I'm trying to adjust to being a vampire and I had to focus on the sire bond. I could have used your support, and you gave me anything but support."

"I was trying to show you that this isn't you Elena."

"It is Caroline. This_ is_ me. You don't want to see it because you want me to be that girl that is Stefan's girl. The innocent and light girl that can't stand the thought of being with someone who does bad things. Guess what Caroline? We all do bad things, you, Stefan. Even Me. I may have never said some of the things I was feeling but it doesn't mean those feelings or thoughts weren't dark. It's just now I can't ignore them."

"And Damon helps that? He feeds it and wants you to be like him."

"I am like him! I always have been. I didn't want to see it, neither did you, and neither did Stefan. It was always there. I was always the one trying to sacrifice myself, and do whatever I had to make sure the people I loved survived. I was reckless and did half of what I did without thinking about it. That was before I was a vampire. My actions were just like his when I was human. I protected those I loved with everything I had just like Damon does. He worked with Bonnie for me, he saved you for me, he has helped keep Jeremy alive, and he tried to do everything he could to save Ric. He tried to save Stefan from Klaus because they are brothers and they love each other. He has done nothing but save me and love me and protect me. Everything Damon does he does it for those he loves."

"And so do you." Is sounds like a question, but Elena isn't so sure. It's more like a realization.

"I didn't think it was possible to be consumed with so much love for one person. Loving him is the easiest thing I have ever done and will ever do."

Caroline has tears in her eyes now. She feels like she has missed so much when she thought she was seeing it all. Elena was right. She thinks back to every time Elena wanted to save someone, tried to fix something or help someone. She acted first, and she did it all because she loved them. She's right because Damon has done what he has done and it may have been recklessly or not planed out but it has all been because what he loves he loves with everything.

Bonnie has told her how hard Elena has worked to break the sire bond. How hard Damon has worked to break it for her. God, he more than just loved her didn't he? He was in love with her. He could have lived blissfully with her being sired to him but he took the chance to break it. He took the chance that maybe she would run right back to Stefan. Damon wanted it to be real for them.

That's when it all starts to add up. She knew it was real for them, she just didn't want to see it. Damon used her, he abused her, and he hurt her. Nothing with her was ever real for him. She cared about him, she wanted to be with him and he couldn't have cared less. Stefan was the one that cared about everyone. He wanted to make sure everyone was okay, and that mattered to Caroline. He was gentle and helpful, and always worried about the risks. God, how could she have been so stupid? She connected with Stefan, believed in him because he thought like she did. He had helped her, accepted her when not many others did. So she fought for him. Now she knows it was all for the wrong reasons.

"God Elena. I don't even know what to say."

"Say we are still best friends. Say that it doesn't matter if I love Damon."

"Of course we are best friends Elena, but I can't say it doesn't matter if you love Damon-"

"Caroline. I don't want to lose either of you-"

"Elena. Stop." She has her hand over Elena's mouth before she can utter another word.

"It matters because you love him, and you want to be with him. You deserve to have it matter, and I haven't been on your side. I should have been. I'm sorry. Damon has always loved you, I knew it and I ignored it. I saw you falling for him and I fought it for you, with you. I believed in you and Stefan. He's a good guy, and I thought he was what you needed but I was wrong. I wanted the good guy, and I didn't have one. So I tried to help the good guy get the girl. Except this girl right here doesn't need a good guy. Normally I would say it always ends badly with bad boys, but your right he loves you. That matters."

She hugs her best friend and holds onto her like she should have been doing for weeks. She was wrong, and now she's going to make up for it. Caroline is going to stand by Elena.

And Elena loves her for it.


End file.
